


Pull Me In & Drag Me Out

by annoyedjihoon



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:07:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23956621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annoyedjihoon/pseuds/annoyedjihoon
Summary: Wonwoo’s life is going great. He’s working for his mother’s company (being groomed to take over, really), he has more money than he can spend in twelve lifetimes, and he’s dating Manhattan’s hottest model, Cha Eunwoo.Wonwoo’s life is going great.And then his ex-fiancé moves back into town.Or:The Meanie-centered, Boys Over Flowers X Gossip Girl X Elite au no one asked for.A/N: Half comedy, Half drama. Warnings to follow. Other pairings to follow.
Relationships: Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu, Jeon wonwoo/Cha Eunwoo, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Jihoon | Woozi
Comments: 30
Kudos: 111





	1. Seokmin Breaks Rule Number Four

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t even know haha. Just had this idea and felt like writing it out. Feedback welcome!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seokmin sets off a chain of events that rocks his group of elite, Manhattan socialites.

It starts, as usual, with Seokmin. Who, elated after finally graduating from Columbia, throws a rager of a party in his penthouse that culminates with him getting so hammered he breaks Rule #4 of the Post Gold Ball Apocalypse rulebook.

He texts Mingyu.

Mingyu who he grew up with and used to be so close to. Mingyu who knew almost all of his secrets and guarded them unfailingly.

Mingyu who, nearly four years ago, disappeared without a trace and broke his heart.

Mingyu who he misses everyday and whose number he had never deleted even though everyone else in his friend group did.

Mingyu whom he had promised never to contact again.

“I can’t believe you messaged him”

Seokmin groans from where he is laying face down on his white leather couch, head pounding and body completely wrecked after last night. 

“Seokmin!” Seungkwan’s voice cracks like a whip against his skull and he tilts his head to look at his step-brother, standing by the piano with a frown on his face and his hand on his hips “You shouldn’t have done that”

“I know” Seokmin groans, scratching irritably at his hair “I know but I was drunk, Kwannie, and I missed him. He should have been here with all of us”. He throws his step-brother the best sad expression he can muster in his pitiful hungover state but it does nothing to soften the younger’s heart.

“Quit trying to look like a kicked puppy-” Seungkwan snaps, adjusting his silk bathrobe before sitting down on the piano bench “-in case you’re forgetting, Mingyu forfeited all rights to our friendship after what he did”

With great effort and fighting the urge to hurl all over his glass coffee table, Seokmin sits up on the couch “So you really don’t miss him?” 

Seungkwan sighs and the angry look on his face morphs into something closer to sadness “Of course I miss him but... I just can’t forget, Seok”

About five months after Mingyu disappeared, Seungkwan, tired of the waiting around for news of his whereabouts that seemed unlikely to come, set off on a Nancy Drew-esque mission to find answers. Using the contacts he had at their father’s telecommunications firm and Jisoo’s private jet, Seungkwan had managed to locate and find Mingyu in Amsterdam. Unfortunately, and despite Seokmin’s hope that Seungkwan would be able to bring him back, his step-brother arrived home with neither Mingyu nor a willingness to divulge what he had found out while in the Netherlands. 

Seungkwan did, however, make Seokmin and Jisoo swear never to tell anyone what he had done or where Mingyu was. He had also invited the rest of their friend group, sans Wonwoo (who, at that time, had still been refusing to leave the confines of his room) to a weekend trip at the Hamptons where he presented the Post Gold Ball Apocalypse Rulebook and all its tenets. It was a guide he had written for how to proceed after the disaster that had gone down at the Hong’s annual Gold Ball. It was well crafted and gave them instructions for helping Wonwoo get back to a healthy mental and physical state. It also included a diagram for group interactions that no longer included Mingyu.

Mingyu who, for so long, had been the nucleus of their friend group.

Mingyu who, Seokmin is shocked to find out much later after he’s showered and plugged in his dead phone, had texted him back.

_“Hey Seokmin. I miss you too. I’ll see you soon”_

“SEUNGKWANNNN!”

-

“Well, it was nice knowing you Seokmin” Jisoo says, adding creamer and sugar to the coffee in his teacup.

After showing Seungkwan the message that had sent him into a panic attack, Seungkwan had force fed him a piece of bread (“to soak up whatever alcohol is left in your body because it is making you act STUPID, SEOKMIN”) and dragged him over to Jisoo’s office on the Upper West Side.

“W-what do you mean?” Seokmin stutters, eyes widening and leaning forward on his chair. 

Jisoo leans back into his leather desk chair and raises the teacup to his lips “I’m just saying, you know Soonyoung is going to kill you right?” He takes a sip of his coffee as Seokmin splutters and Seungkwan mutters “I told you so” next to him.

“He won’t kill me!” Seokmin splutters “We’ve been friends since high school!”

“Do you think that’ll matter?” Seungkwan asks angrily, turning on his chair to glare at Seokmin “Wonwoo has been his best friend since KINDERGARTEN. He went through hell trying to get Wonwoo better after Mingyu disappeared. He’s going to murder you Seok. He’s going to murder you and he’s going to get away with it”

“No he won’t!”

“Yes he will and of course he’ll get off, I’m his lawyer” Jisoo interjects, setting down his teacup next to the shiny plaque on his desk with gold engraved letters that say **“Jisoo Hong, Attorney At Law”** on it. “So, again, it was nice knowing you, Seokmin. I’ll never forget the time you nearly drowned me at my own 11th birthday pool party”

Seokmin lets out a wail, falls face first onto Jisoo’s desk, and wails again.

“Please, do not cry on the Mahogany. I don’t want tear stains on my desk” Jisoo says to the back of Seokmin’s head before he turns to Seungkwan “You should tell the others”

Seungkwan makes a strangled noise and shakes his head violently “I can’t! They’ll suspect me and after Seokmin’s been murdered, I’ll need to carry on the family line”

“Fuck you, Seungkwan” Seokmin says, voice muffled against the desk “I’m going to haunt you forever. If you think you’ll ever get to bang Hansol in peace again, you’re wrong”

“I’m just saying” Jisoo continues, raising his voice slightly to cut off Seungkwan’s retort “No one but your soon-to-be murdered brother and I know you found him in Amsterdam. You used my private jet, if anyone tracks flight records, I can just tell them my mom wanted to see Holland in springtime. They won’t know you ever had contact with him and they won’t know what you found, I promised you I’d never tell anyone and I never will”

Seokmin straightens up so quickly he thinks he might have gotten whiplash “You told Jisoo?! After you refused to tell me even though I begged for months?!”

Seungkwan has the decency to look guilty at least but says nothing, only glancing at the still infuriatingly calm Jisoo.

“Why did you tell him but not me?!” Seokmin asks, voice raising in pitch and staring accusatorially at his step-brother “Why? You said you couldn’t tell anyone! Wh-“

“-Because!” Seungkwan says, standing up from his chair suddenly and not meeting Seokmin’s eyes “Because I needed a lawyer’s opinion okay! I needed a lawyer’s opinion regarding what I found and I needed someone I could trust”

“Needed a lawyer?” Seokmin repeats, feeling like his head is about to explode and knowing it’s no longer because of the alcohol “Why would you need a lawyer? Seungkwan what the hell did you find in Amsterdam?” 

Still standing, Seungkwan turns to face Jisoo. The latter considers for a few minutes before finally breaking the tense silence that followed Seokmin’s question.

“Tell him”.

-


	2. Ripples

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dominos start to fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! A few clarifications: this fic is Meanie-centered meaning the plot between them is what drives the story forward BUT there are numerous other plots also going on and, will therefore, feature chapters that discuss these sub-plots. 
> 
> Thank you to all those who left kudos!

One of the perks that come with living with Soonyoung is the many ways his boyfriend wakes him up in the mornings.

Over the course of their six years together, Soonyoung has learned that Jihoon has never been and never will be a morning person. If Jihoon had his way, days would start at 1 p.m. and end at dawn. Unfortunately, most of the world and especially the people at his father’s multimedia company, do not agree with him so he still has to get up and go to work at “respectable hours”. Waking him up is a daunting task but one that Soonyoung meets everyday with enthusiasm and creativity that have only escalated over the years.

He blasts hip hop music and break dances right ontop of their bed until the shaking literally throws Jihoon off the mattress and onto the floor.

He loudly (and with sound effects) reads sex stories posted on seedy forums online, driving Jihoon out of bed of his own volition in a bid to get away from him and the explicit details of other people’s sex lives.

He vividly re-enacts his latest interactions with his students from his dance academy, using a variety of high pitched voices (Which sound nothing like his students) that hurt Jihoon’s ears and forces him to physically shut Soonyoung up.

For a few weeks last Winter, he would put on the longest bathrobe he owned and would loudly read passages from the bible in a “doomsday preacher” sort of way while holding a lit candelabra. Jihoon thinks the method would still be in rotation if Jisoo hadn’t found out and promptly put a stop to it.

Jihoon’s favorite Soonyoung Wake Up Tactic, however, is the light kissing.

On rare ocassions when the morning isn’t looking too hectic for either of them, Soonyoung opts for a less annoying, more disgustingly sweet method of waking him up: he leaves feather-light pecks from Jihoon’s cheeks to all the way down to his collarbones and repeats the trail until Jihoon is fully awake. Jihoon will never admit it, God forbid Soonyoung gets even cockier about anything, but those kisses really make his mornings. There’s no heat nor passion behind them and they are dry at best but they do relay tenderness and intimacy. Two things Jihoon had never been comfortable with until Soonyoung showed him just how great they could actually be.

So today, when he feels shifting on the bed while in a half-awake state, he anticipates the first kiss to land on his cheek as it usually does. What he gets instead is a wet, sloppy, loud smack on his forehead. Eyes flying open, Jihoon lets out an uncharactarisitcally loud yelp when he finds Junhui’s face hovering less than an inch away from his own.

“What the fuck!”

Junhui cackles and falls backwards onto the mattress as Jihoon distangles himself from the comforter and sits up, heart pounding and sweat beginning to form on his brow.

“Wen Junhui, what are you doing in my bed?!”

Junhui only continues to cackle as the double doors that lead to the walk-in-closet open and Soonyoung stumbles out, already fully dressed, and also in hysterics.

“Oh God, I didn’t know you could make that sound!” his boyfriend gasps out between laughs, doubled over and clutching his stomach.

“Fuck off, honestly” Jihoon snarls as Junhui cackles even louder. His crankiness is increasing by the nanosecond because, not only did get pranked, but he has also been denied morning kisses. Kisses he was secretly looking forward to “I hope you both go bald before 30”

“Awwww Jiji” Soonyoung coos, still smiling but looking a bit apologetic. He walks over and sits next to him on the bed “Don’t be mad! It was just a joke to help you wake up” Soonyoung snakes his arms around Jihoon and pulls him into a hug. Jihoon fights the innate urge to hug him back and instead huffs in annoyance. “I hate pranks”

“Aww is Jiji cranky?” Junhui asks, sitting up and raising an eyebrow at Jihoon “Are my kisses not as nice as Soonyoung’s?”

Jihoon is torn between wanting to shut Junhui up and not wanting to give Soonyoung an ego boost so early in the day (especially not after he just set Wen Junhui on him) so he settles for ignoring the former and switching the topic instead.

“Where are you going?”

Soonyoung gives him a final squeeze before detaching himself and standing up “I’m heading down to the bakery on Madison to get bagels. Junhui wants them for breakfast”

“Why can’t Dorinda go get them?” Jihoon asks, watching as Soonyoung moves around their room, collecting his wallet and phone. Dorinda has been their housekeeper since they moved in together three years ago.

“She’s fixing up my room” Junhui chimes in, making himself comfortable on Soonyoung’s side of the bed “I can’t believe you guys didn’t have it ready for me. Jeonghan’s shit was still in there when I got here”

The apartment Jihoon shares with Soonyoung has four bedrooms: the master, the maid’s, and two guest bedrooms. They converted one into a recording studio for Jihoon and the other, Junhui has placed in a state of eternal dibs. While Junhui has perfectly fine apartment of his own on East 67th and 5th Avenue, he prefers to spend the times he is in New York at their place.

“You weren’t supposed to be back until next week” Soonyoung points out as he swoops down to give Jihoon a quick kiss on the cheek (This mollifies the shorter a bit) before heading towards the door “And Jeonghan needed a place to stay while his place got repainted”

“I told you, the photoshoot was cancelled because of a storm!” Junhui yells as the door closes behind Soonyoung “And you should have made him sleep on the couch!”

Junhui has been a professional model since he was scouted at the age of 16. He has numerous brand endorsements under his belt, is a fixture at fashion week catwalks around the world, and has been on the cover of Vogue magazine thrice. His high-profile status is the reason he’s away from New York for prolonged periods of time and also why he’s extra clingy whenever he does get back in.

Jihoon waits a good five minutes after the sound of Soonyoung’s footsteps have died down before speaking again.

“There is no storm, is there?”

“Of course not, I made it up” Junhui responds, tone no longer teasing and playful but serious and sharp “I gave myself diarrhea by eating day old clams just so they would cancel the photoshoot and send me home”

Jihoon has to admire Junhui’s dedication and loyalty, not to mention the batshit crazy lengths he was willing to go just to get things done.

“Won’t they fire you?” Jihoon asks as he lays back down next to his friend

“Nah. No one fires Wen Junhui. Besides, after Jisoo’s message there was no way I was staying on that island for another day, much less a week. I may have lied to Soonyoung about a storm in Fiji but a real one is coming to Manhattan and I’d rather be here when it hits”

Jihoon knows what he means. He had just begun to think their new normal was here to stay and now, with one ominous text from Jisoo, it feels like it’s about to be slowly and painfully ripped away.

Jihoon rubs his eyes and sighs “I can’t believe he’s coming back”

“My people saw him board a plane and leave Amsterdam, Jihoon” Junhui replies, turning on his side so he can face him “He’ll be here in less than a day”

The Wens own and operate one of the biggest private security companies in the world. With tens of thousands of employees and their own weapons research lab, Wen Security Co. caters to celebrities, politicians, and both private and public companies in over a hundred countries around the globe, including the Netherlands.

“No, I don’t doubt your information” Jihoon clarifies, also turning on his side so that he can look at Junhui “But you, I, Jisoo, and Jisoo’s God know Mingyu isn’t coming back because of a random, drunk text from Seokmin. He must be after something else”

“Any idea what he could want?”

Jihoon shakes his head. He geuninely doesn’t know. He may have a bunch of theories but, without more information, they’re all just conspiracies at this point. Jihoon has also refrained from engaging too much in Soonyoung’ and Junhui’s favorite pastime of “Talking Shit about our ex-friend Kim Mingyu” (an activity they always fall back on whenever they are drunk) because, privately, he feels that there’s a lot more going on than any of them really understand and he’s never been comfortable with treating people based off ambiguities. Mingyu was a good friend to Jihoon and, for that reason alone, he still gives him the benefit of doubt.

Jihoon wishes he wasn’t coming back though. It will be much harder to maintain his semi-neutral status when he sees the toll this is going to take on Wonwoo.

”Do you think Jisoo knows?” Junhui asks, breaking his train of thought.   
  


Jihoon considers his question for a moment before nodding “Probably, or he’s protecting someone that does”

Junhui sighs, flipping onto his back and throwing an arm over his eyes “Why can’t we all just be honest with each other?”   
  


“Sometimes lying is easier and kinder” 

-

-


	3. GG Update

_Gossip Girl here, back from my break in the Canary Islands and ready to fulfill my duty of keeping you up to date with Manhattan’s elite society.  
_

_How is everyone’s summer going? I doubt any of yours are as good as SK’s. He finally graduated! Though too much alcohol at his party has caused some uncomfortable situations with his group of friends. Is the band finally going to break up?  
_

_Not if a certain Harvard Law educated attorney has anything to say about it. Careful though, JS, that pile of secrets is getting too big for even you to cover up completely.  
_

_Speaking of covering up, HL has recently moved out of his family’s townhouse and moved into his own apartment... in Brooklyn. Is this some form of protest? Is it for his art? And exactly how does SG feel about commuting all the way down there just to get dicked down? He must be tired. Too tired to notice his drunk step-brother undoing years of his hardwork? Probably.  
_

_SPOTTED: Our lost prince, MG, arriving at JFK with enough luggage for a prolonged stay... and a gorgeous boytoy in tow? Skinny and pretty, just his type. I wonder what WW will have to say?_  
  


_XOXO_

_GG._


	4. Stages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grief is a process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: This chapter discusses grief, alcoholism, and depression. Possible trigger warnings for mental health. 
> 
> Thank you to all those who commented and left kudos! 
> 
> -
> 
> This chapter sheds a little more light on what happened at the Gold Ball and the fallout afterwards.
> 
> -

Grief is a process. One that occurs after an incredible loss - loss of a loved one, loss of a treasured item, loss of a dream, loss of a relationship.

The timeline of the process varies among people. The only thing that is universal is how it progresses in stages.

_ Stage One: Denial. _

_ Twelve Hours Post Gold Ball._

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Seungkwan doesn’t even bother getting up from bed. Head still pounding and still in his suit from last night “Maybe he just went off grid to calm down after last night’s disaster.”

And what a train-wreck the Hong’s Gold Ball had been. Seungkwan wonders who had been the most upset at the end of the night: Wonwoo, Soonyoung, or Jisoo’s mom. He’d wager on any one of them to be honest.

“I went over to his apartment to talk to him and it was empty, Seungkwan” Seungcheol says from where he’s sitting on Seungkwan’s vanity table. Ass right next to the puff Seungkwan uses to apply his day cream “The building manager said he had arranged for his things to be shipped out two weeks ago. The ownership of his apartment has also been changed to his grandfather’s name”

“So?”

“So? No loose ends, Seungkwan. Everything arranged and laid out”

That gets Seungkwan to sit up in bed.

“Are you trying to tell me” he begins slowly, brows furrowing “That Mingyu planned this whole thing? That last night wasn’t some accidental shitshow?” 

Seungcheol nods “I think so, yes. Junhui is following some leads on where he might be but he’s found nothing so far”

“Listen” Seungkwan says, laughing a little in disbelief as he gets out of bed “Mingyu couldn’t have planned all of that and he couldn’t have just disappeared”

“Why not?” Seungcheol challenges, pushing off the vanity and straightening up. Seungkwan almost recoils, not out of fear that his friend would hurt him (God knows Seungcheol would never) but out of a natural instinct to protect himself from the bigger, stronger, faster MMA champion fighter standing less than two feet away from him.

“Because!” Seungkwan says, a little frustrated that Seungcheol has to ask “Because he’s Mingyu! He’s our friend and he loves Wonwoo! He proposed to him, Cheol!”

“What if it was all just a lie?” Seungcheol asks, crossing his arms over his chest. He’s in short sleeves today and the bruises he attained from his last fight are on full display. Seungkwan knows it’s not meant to be an intimidation tactic but it works just the same.

Seungkwan makes a hurt noise and takes a step back “How could you think such a thing?! Cheol, this is Mingyu were talking about! He’s a good person, a good friend!”

“You know who his father is”

“He’s nothing like his father!” Seungkwan snaps, louder than he had intended but he can’t help it. He feels ambushed by the things Seungcheol is saying, no matter factual they may be.

“I’m not so sure, Seungkwan”

The resigned tone of Seungcheol’s voice makes it seem like he is though and this makes Seungkwan’s anger flare immediately.

“He’s not!” He yells, tears already stinging at the corners of his eyes because, God damn it, he’s hungover, confused, and Seungcheol is making him angry “Have you even checked his brother’s place? His grandfather’s?”

“Yes and he wasn’t at either. He’s gone, Seungkwan. He ruined our friend and disappeared”

Seungkwan turns away, unable to stand Seungcheol and his accusations any longer.

“Get out of my house, Seungcheol”

-

_ Stage Two: Anger.  _

_ Sixteen Days Post Gold Ball.  _

Soonyoung runs a lot these days.

It’s never been his preferred choice of cardio but he needs an extra outlet for all the anger he has right now.

He runs twice a day: once at dawn before his dance classes (suggested, rather forcefully, by his assistant instructor Chan after Soonyoung had snapped at his class of 11 year olds last week for messing up) and once more after they are all done.

Soonyoung has to run because it helps him sweat out his aggression and keeps him from taking it out on unsuspecting people.

Soonyoung also has to run because if he doesn’t exhaust himself, the urge to dig Mingyu out of whatever hole he’s currently burrowing in and beat him to a pulp becomes overwhelming.

It’s been over two weeks since the disaster at the Gold Ball. At first Soonyoung had thought it was a misunderstanding or someone’s sick idea of a prank, to break Wonwoo’s heart like that and humiliate him in public, but after two days and no apology nor explanation came, Soonyoung’s naive, hopeful optimism was replaced by rage.

Leaving Jihoon and Jeonghan with an inconsolable Wonwoo, Soonyoung had joined Junhui in combing through New York. They searched bars, apartments blocs, hotels, and every nook and cranny they could think of.

They searched for four straight days and, even with Junhui’s security connections and Seungcheol joining the search on the 3rd day, they found nothing. Soonyoung had nothing to offer Wonwoo that could make him feel better. No words of comfort. No news. No Mingyu.

Mingyu who he had introduced to Wonwoo in the first place. Mingyu who he had supported and encouraged to court Wonwoo because, despite his outer coldness, was soft and lovable underneath. Mingyu who he had accompanied to buy an engagement ring.

Mingyu who, Soonyoung swears to the universe, he’ll end once he crawls out of whatever shithole he’s hiding in.

Soonyoung may have failed to protect Wonwoo the first time but he’s never going make that mistake again.

-

_ Stage Three: Depression.  _

_ One Month Post Gold Ball.  _

Seokmin has barely left his apartment in the last month. The only time he eats is when Seungkwan forces him to take bites of whatever he’s made or ordered for dinner. He hasn’t showered in five days and hasn’t charged his phone in twice as long. The only contact with other people he gets is his step-brother (who has taken to living with him in his apartment) and Jeonghan who drops by every Sunday.

Seokmin doesn’t do much but sleep and drink lately. It’s hard to tell which one he does more of, though the scattered empty bottles of beer all over the apartment do make a strong case for the drinking. Seungkwan says if he doesn’t get a hold of himself soon he’ll have a problem. Seokmin only scoffs at him.

He’s already been betrayed and abandoned by his best friend. No other problem could possibly compare.

Because for Seokmin, Mingyu was family. Before his father had married Seungkwan’s mother, before he had a brother, Mingyu was the only one he had. Mingyu who would sleepover whenever his dad was away for weekend seminars. Mingyu who fought bullies for him in second grade. Mingyu who helped bring him out of his shell and introduced him to the friends he has now.

Mingyu who Seokmin had loved the most.

Even after Seungkwan came into his life in high school, Mingyu was still the person he was closest to. Mingyu knew all his secrets and Mingyu knew all his fears. Seokmin’s bond with Seungkwan is special, but Seokmin’s bond with Mingyu was vital. 

Vital to him and his happiness. 

Vital to him and gone. 

Ripped away, stomped on, and set on fire.

Seokmin replays that night over and over again. Mingyu being caught with woman in the bathroom. Mingyu ignoring Wonwoo, himself, and all their friends. The fight Seungcheol had initiated. The screaming, the tables knocked over, and glasses breaking. Jisoo’s mom fainting at the mess her charity event had devolved into. The press breaking in and going wild trying to get photos and interviews. Jeonghan calling the cops because he had enough. 

Seokmin replays it in his head and tries to make sense of it all but he just can’t. The Mingyu he knows would never have acted that way. The Mingyu he knows cared for his image and the family he represents. The Mingyu he knows loved Wonwoo more than life itself.

But it was also the Mingyu he knows that Jihoon found in the bathroom with his hand up a woman’s dress and his lips on her neck. 

Seokmin tries, desperately to make sense of it, but he can’t. So he drinks instead and attempts to forget. 

-

_ Stage Four: Bargaining  _

_ Four Months Post Gold Ball.  _

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Minhyun”

The door has barely closed behind Minhyun when the speaker on his desk buzzes and Seungwoo’s, his office assistant, voice come through.

“That was your last appointment of the day, Dr. Yoon. I’ve updated the electronic schedule for tomorrow. Your first client, Mr. Tuan, comes in at 9 a.m.”

Jeonghan leans forward and presses the silver button on the speaker panel “Thank you, Seungwoo. You can go home now”

Jeonghan leans back into his chair and closes his eyes, completely worn out from the day. While he loves being a psychologist, loves being able to help people, it also takes a lot out of him. Especially when he’s been up all night and not at one hundred percent. 

The reason for Jeonghan’s lack of sleep is Boo Seungkwan. Who, after aiding Jeonghan in the three-month battle to get Seokmin better, appeared on the doorstep of his townhouse last night and asked for a private, off-hours session. 

Jeonghan had agreed because: 

A) He’s a professional

B) Seungkwan is close friend 

So he spent six hours listening to Seungkwan express his hidden anger, watching him break down over the stress of having to take care of a near-alcoholic brother for months, and guiding him through constructive exercises. 

By the time Seungkwan had been picked up by Hansol at 4:30 a.m., Jeonghan was pleased with his friend’s progress but also exhausted. Exhausted and unable to get any sleep because he had to leave at 5:30 a.m. for his session with the 60- year-old Mrs. Chow who prefers their meetings to take place at 7 a.m. every other day. 

Jeonghan then had a couples therapy, three more private sessions, and then, finally, his daily check-in with Minhyun. If his father could see the state of him now, dark circles under his eyes, a swollen look on his face, and slumped in his chair, he’d bring up their age old argument about Jeonghan not needing to work since he has a 70 Million inheritance and a shipping company that’s going to be left in his name. 

Sure, after particularly hard days like this one Jeonghan thinks about quitting. He’d have more time for himself and his interests. He could visit his parents more. He could find a boyfriend and stop depending on Jisoo for sex. He could travel more.

But at the end of the day, Jeonghan loves it too much. Loves studying and designing plans to help people. Loves seeing their progress and how they develop. He takes pride in their successes and privately counts them as his own - he is their doctor and their wins are testaments to his skills.

He just wish he could have helped Mingyu though.

Jeonghan sighs and opens his eyes, gaze falling on the white leather armchair that his patients sit in. Two days before the Hong’s Gold Ball, Mingyu had scheduled a session with him. Jeonghan had readily agreed but for the two hours that he had Mingyu in his office, his friend spent 40 minutes completely silent and the rest babbling semi-incoherently about “guilt” and “rights” and “independence”. Jeonghan has three degrees and years of practice under his belt but he got none of what Mingyu was trying to say. He had even tried to lead him in a few exercises to streamline his thoughts to no avail, Mingyu would only shut down and revert back to silence.

Jeonghan had wanted to cancel the rest of his appointments for the day because, obviously, his friend was in distress and he wanted to help but during the two minutes he had gone to talk to Seungwoo at his desk, Mingyu had slipped out of the clinic and left.

The next time Jeonghan would see him is two days later at the disaster that was the Gold Ball where Jeonghan was finally able to piece together why Mingyu was so distressed.

His friend was seeing someone on the side while engaged to Wonwoo and it was fucking him up. He didn’t know how to bring it up, he didn’t know how to end things with either party and it was causing him guilt-induced anxiety. The anxiety made him stuck, unable to move in either direction, so he made sure he was caught at the Gold Ball.

Jeonghan knows he staged it. He feels in his gut that Mingyu wanted to be found that night and it worked out how he wanted to: his engagement was over and he didn’t have to pull that plug on either of his relationships. He got off without having to admit wrongdoing and taking accountability for the pain and chaos he caused.   
  
Looking back, Jeonghan realizes Mingyu had displayed a lot of the same behavioral ticks plenty of his unfaithful patients do and he mentally kicks himself for not picking up on it sooner. He may have failed in that respect but he tried his best when Mingyu came to him and he’s done his best helping his friends, especially Wonwoo, in the aftermath. 

Jeonghan’s done his best. He wishes he was never required to in the first place, but he’s done his best.

-

_Stage Five: Acceptance_

_ Two Years Post Gold Ball.  _

“You look gooooood” Junhui comments from behind him before adding a wolf whistle. Wonwoo smiles but doesn’t look away from where he’s checking himself out in the full length mirror in his den.

“I know” he says, straightening his bowtie “Thanks though”

Wonwoo’s in an emerald Versace suit with gold lining (Just to keep Mrs. Hong off him - _“This is a gold ball, Wonwoo, you’re supposed to wear gold”_ ). It fits his body perfectly and emphasizes his broader shoulders and leaner thighs, pleasant results from his daily evening jogs with Soonyoung. His hair, black this month, is styled upwards and Junhui had even put black eyeliner on him to pull together his look.

He does look good and it makes Wonwoo feel excited because he feels good as well. He’s the healthiest he’s ever been (physically and mentally - thanks to Soonyoung convincing him to start working out last year and Jeonghan’s patience and dedication in guiding him back from the edge) and he’s genuinely happy. He doesn’t even feel anxious about finally making his public return to Manhattan high society, at the social charity event of the season no less. Sure, he was humiliated at the same event two years ago, but Wonwoo’s made peace with that. He’s gotten over it.

It took a while, nearly two years exactly, a lot of late night talks with his friends, and daily sessions with Jeonghan but Wonwoo finally accepted that he wasn’t at fault. 

None of it had been his fault. He had loved Mingyu with his entire heart and soul. He had let him in, broken down his walls and allowed himself to be vulnerable for the first time in his life. He had agreed to marry him, begun to prepare for a wedding his younger self was adamant he’d never have. 

He had opened himself up and trusted completely and he ended up fooled, hurt, and betrayed. 

But it wasn’t his fault. Wonwoo is more than enough and he should have been enough for Mingyu. 

He’s tall, classically handsome, and has a double degree in business and literature from Harvard. Not to mention his mother owns WBS, one of the biggest broadcasting companies in the world. 

Wonwoo is “the shit” as Soonyoung says and it may have taken a long time but now he finally believes it. 

Wonwoo is enough. Has always been enough and he’s not at fault just because Mingyu failed to realize that. 

He had made his choice but that didn’t tarnish all that Wonwoo was and still is. 

“Seriously though” Junhui whines from where he’s sitting stiffly on Wonwoo’s couch, trying not to wrinkle the ridiculous all-Gold suit he has on “Can we fuck after?” 

This time, Wonwoo turns away from the mirror to look at his friend “Do I seriously look so good that you’re considering breaking the pact?” 

Junhui and Wonwoo, bored one summer night nearly six years ago, had slept with each other and then made a pact the very next morning, over Junhui’s fried noodles and eggs, that they’d never do it again.

“Yes” Junhui nods immediately, eyes traveling all over Wonwoo’s body “And also, the sex wasn’t bad”

Wonwoo laughs because Junhui is shameless and blunt and he loves it. His casual attitude towards sex has also helped Wonwoo over the last year. Junhui taught Wonwoo how to engage in hook ups and not get hung up over them. Not that Wonwoo had partaken in a lot, just enough to gain confidence in the fact that he was still hot and people wanted him despite the public humiliation he had gone through.

Wonwoo smirks at Junhui before turning back to the mirror to check his hair “I’ll consider it”

“Would you consider faster if I slapped your ass? I know you like that”

-


	5. For the Love of Art & Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hansol and Myungho make adjustments for the sake of love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments! I love getting feedback and I love hearing that people are enjoying this.

Hansol wakes up to hair tickling his chin, a common occurrence nowadays. He doesn’t open his eyes yet but snakes an arm around the body snuggled next to him and pulls it closer. 

Seungkwan doesn’t live with him, they only started going out a little over a year ago, but he does have a key to Hansol’s place so he can come over whenever he pleases, even if Hansol isn’t around. By Hansol’s estimate, Seungkwan sneaks into bed with him a minimum of two times a week. His boyfriend frequently whines that he could come over more often if Hansol hadn’t moved out of the Upper East Side but Hansol is steadfast in his decision to finally live a life of his own.

For years he worked at his father’s real estate company: showing houses and apartments to businessmen, socialites, and trophy wives, rushing all over Manhattan and the Hamptons, never getting time for himself or his hobbies, and having to stomach working in a corporate environment.

It just wasn’t for him. His mother knew and helped him confront his father. It took a while and many arguments that Hansol prefers not to think about but he was finally, for the first time in his life, given the freedom to pursue what he is passionate about: art.

Hansol still has to come in to the realty office whenever there’s a high priority sale (He’s a good salesman, even he won’t deny it) but it’s a small exchange for finally being able to do what he loves. He takes classes on art history twice a week and his move to Brooklyn Heights has allowed him to cultivate his creative space.

His new loft is moderate in size with two bedrooms, one and a half baths, industrial red brick walls, and an open floor plan. Hansol has set up work station with his easels and paints in the middle of the living room and kitchen, right by the big window. It’s a simpler and smaller home than he’s used to but much more suited to him than his family’s Park Avenue place ever was.

Hansol finally opens his eyes when he notices that Seungkwan isn’t breathing as deeply as he normally does when he’s asleep. He looks down and, sure enough, Seungkwan is awake, eyes open and staring at nothing in particular.

“Hey” Hansol says, squeezing him a little with his arm “You okay?”

“No” Seungkwan answers immediately, head still buried under his chin “Mingyu’s back”

“Ah, I see”

Hansol hasn’t been seeing Seungkwan long, but his boyfriend likes to talk and in a year he had Hansol updated on all his friends and the drama involving Mingyu. So, despite Hansol shunning everything to do with being a Manhattan socialite since he was a teen, he is now privy to the secrets and activities of one of the most elite groups in Manhattan society. 

Thanks to his boyfriend, Hansol knows who has the biggest inheritance (Wonwoo at an obscene $500 million) and who has the least (Seungcheol at $40 million, though his earnings as a professional MMA fighter do bring his net worth up). He knows about the bitter divorce of Seokmin’s parents and how hostile it made Seokmin towards Seungkwan and his mother at the beginning. He knows that Jisoo and Jeonghan are best friends that fuck and makeout too frequently to be considered only that. He knows that Jihoon bought an engagement ring three months ago when he was in Paris for work. He knows that Junhui has just signed a contract to become a Burberry brand ambassador. 

Hansol also knows that Mingyu’s return is going to dismantle whatever fragile peace the group has built up in his absence. 

“Gossip Girl tweeted about it. There’s even a picture” Seungkwan continues, breaking the silence “That insensitive, bumbling giant even brought his new boyfriend with him”

“You’re trusting gossip girl?” Hansol asks in disgust “Seungkwan, come on. Whoever is behind that account only wants to stir up trouble”

“There’s a picture okay!” Seungkwan says defensively as he sits up and stares down at Hansol “I’d know Mingyu’s silhouette anywhere and... Seokmin messaged him two days ago”

Seungkwan then launches into the story of Seokmin’s party (Hansol had been unable to attend due to class), how he broke rule number four, and everything else that followed.

“I thought Wonwoo had moved on though? Isn’t he dating some model?” Hansol asks when Seungkwan finishes, rubbing a hand up and down his boyfriend’s back comfortingly because, admittedly, this was a shitty situation to be in and he wants to be supportive.

“Yes and yes” Seungkwan responds “But it’ll still be a shock for him and I don’t want him to regress. Besides, I’m more worried about how angry both Soonyoung and Seungcheol will be. One we can handle but both? Not a chance”

Hansol murmurs in agreement. He’s been to one of Seungcheol’s fights and he doesn’t fancy the thought of trying to hold back that much power and aggression. On the other hand, while he’s never seen Soonyoung in a rage, he has noted that the others tend to panic whenever he begins to display signs of being agitated so Hansol doesn’t like his chances against him either. 

“I can’t imagine how I would feel if an ex-fiancé came back after they broke my heart” Seungkwan sighs, breaking his train of thought “I can’t even look my ex in the eye whenever we run into each other at events”

“Well to be fair, he wasn’t really your ex” Hansol comments, beginning to smile because he knows he’s playing with fire “He was more like your sugar daddy”

The pillow he gets in the face a second later is worth it.

“How many times, Hansol?! He was not my sugar daddy! He was only seven years older than me!”

-

Myungho has only been in New York for less than two days and he already hates it. 

Alright, maybe “hate” is too strong a word, but he does heavily dislike it. It’s too crowded, the people all seem like they’re in a rush, and the noise is next level.

Myungho only came to New York to support his friend and now said friend is kicking him out of the apartment they’re renting in Greenwich Village.

“Please, I just need to apartment for around 3 to 4 hours” Mingyu says as he continues hanging up clothes in his closet “You could go see a movie”

“I could also go to the airport and board a plane to go back home, Mingyu” Myungho snaps from where he’s sitting cross legged on the bed.

Mingyu turns around to face him “Come on, you promised you’d do this with me”

“And here I am” Myungho says as he crosses his arms over his chest “So why are you exiling me?”

“It’s only for a couple of hours. There’s just someone I need to talk to in private”

“I can just stay in my room then!” Myungho points out because he can’t believe Mingyu, the king of eavesdropping, is basically telling him he can’t be trusted to respect private conversations “I’ll even put on earphones. Come on, don’t send me out there alone, the rats are as big as cats and everyone is mean”

Mingyu shakes his head and approaches the bed to sit next to him. He takes one of Myungho’s hands in his own and looks him in the eyes.

“Listen, I do want you here and I need you here. If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t have asked you to come” he begins slowly “But for the sake of safety and security, I need you to not be here for a couple of hours today”

“Will you tell me what this is about after?” Myungho asks after a couple of seconds of silence “Because I can’t help you if I don’t know all the details, Mingyu”

“I promise I will”

Myungho doesn’t doubt him but that does nothing to calm the worry he feels inside. Truthfully, he’s been feeling on edge since they arrived and he knows why. This place isn’t safe for them, especially not for Mingyu and Myungho doesn’t want anything bad to happen to his friend.

When Mingyu had moved in next door to live with his mother four years ago, he had no idea how much the other would come to matter to him.

They first bonded over the shared hedge in their gardens, talking about Mingyu’s childhood in America and Myungho’s in London. Myungho then taught Mingyu how to navigate Amsterdam and took him to his favorite spots around the city. He even introduced him to a few of his friends to help widen his circle.

As they grew closer, Mingyu opened up even more about his family. How his dad divorced his mom for a younger woman and how she moved to Amsterdam to get away from her past life. How Mingyu had done the same years after when he finally cracked under all the pressure his father put on him. How he was was disowned a year after he came to live with his mother.

Myungho witnessed him at his lowest. Supported him through dark days when he missed his old life and cried for a lost love. Pushed him to try new things to expand his skillset and make him feel good about himself. Held him when he felt like he had no one. Watched him rebuild his life from scratch.

Myungho just wants to help protect that life.

He finally nods and squeezes Mingyu’s hand before he gets up to leave “Okay. I’ll go down and read a book in Central Park. It looks like the most decent place here”

“You aren’t giving New York much of a chance” Mingyu accuses him teasingly as he leaves the room.

“And I’m not about to!”

-

Myungho has been gone almost half an hour when someone knocks softy on the door. Mingyu switches off the television set, gets off the couch and approaches the door quickly.

He peers through the peephole and, upon seeing it is the right person, undoes the multiple locks to open the door.

The man in the well-tailored suit looks much as Mingyu remembers him, no signs of his aging on his face, and the only pronounced difference in his appearance being the sturdier build of his body.

The man smiles at him and Mingyu can’t help it, he darts forward and wraps the other in a hug. 

“It’s great to see you, Jisoo” 

-


	6. Plots & Schemes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jisoo has always been a planner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I am so sorry for the wait it took to get this out! Had a lot going on but getting back to writing more often now. Thank you for all the kudos and comments!
> 
> WARNINGS: Violence and physical & emotional abuse.

The public opinion regarding Jisoo Hong is that he is perfect.

He graduated top of his class at Harvard Law and has never gotten anything less than an A in his life. He was on the student council in high school, was his college dorm’s RA and TA for his ancient, but wise and renowned, Asian History professor. He has a combined seventeen different medals and cups for both fencing and polo.

He passed the bar exam on his first try. He’s one of the youngest defense lawyers in the state and has a case success rate of 97%.

Jisoo comes from a good, wealthy, and reputable family. His father established the family law firm, Hong Legal, in the 80s and to this day it continues to cater to elite New York clientele. His mother is a department store heiress and socialite who runs numerous charities for women and children.

Unlike a good chunk of his privileged peers, he’s never been caught doing anything wrong. No crazy parties, no getting caught leaving an orgy, no drug abuse, no throwing up on the streets outside a hotel. No wild, outrageous behaviour that lands him on tabloids and drags his family’s name through the mud.

The public opinion regarding Jisoo Hong is that he is perfect.

Admittedly, Jisoo would like to keep it this way. Not because the opinions of others matter greatly to him, no, but because it makes him seem boring. The paparazzi never follow him because all he does is go to work, go home, and occasionally go out with his friends. They get nothing juicy from him and have long since stopped trying to. This, in turn, has allowed him live with more privacy, freer than most of his friends, and with the advantage of not having his business made known to the rest of New York.

That advantage is one he is going to sorely need in the next coming weeks because Jisoo has been working on his biggest case to date for the last three years now and things are finally coming to a head. In a week’s time, Jisoo is going to file a lawsuit against one of the most powerful businessmen in New York, Kim Minsoo.

Mingyu’s father.

Owner and CEO of Kim Properties, a land and property development corporation, Kim Minsoo is heralded as a shrewd and opportunistic businessman. Kim Properties acquires both rundown and premium lots and buildings and turns them into high-end commercial and residential spaces for selling or renting. The avenues of New York are littered with Kim Properties assets and the last few years have seen the corporation absorb smaller development and construction firms.

It was all due to the grit and intelligence of their CEO people say. Kim Minsoo built his business from the ground up and worked day in and day out to make it great. He is a great man people say.

But thanks to Mingyu, Jisoo knows that he is not.

Four years ago, days before the infamous Gold Ball that his mother still has nightmares about, Mingyu had come to him in his office, sleep deprived and under great stress. With tactful, slow persuasion, Jisoo had managed to get him to talk. 

Hesitantly Mingyu had admitted that he has always known his father was not a good man but that he had chosen to ignore what he was and what he did because he selfishly benefitted from it. Mingyu got to attend private schools, live in a Park Avenue penthouse, be driven around in limousines, and had all the designer clothes he could ever want. Why should he be bothered if his father’s business practices were less then ethical?

And boy, were they.

According to Mingyu, His father frequently resorted to bribery and intimidation to acquire properties, forcing owners to sell to his corporation. He has a group of thirty men, all listed as “utility workers” in company records, that act as his own group of personal henchmen: threatening competitors through violent means. Kim Properties also turned out to be rampant with payroll fraud, money laundering, and tax fraud. Yet despite all of that, Mingyu turned a blind eye. He could sleep soundly at night and stomach all he that knew about his father’s business and how he treated the people he built it on because he loved his lifestyle.

Mingyu could have dinner with his father every weekend, attend social events with him, compartmentalize the fact the he broke his mother’s heart, because he was comfortable and pampered.

His father’s shady business dealings were so far removed from him. 

But then, Minsoo had turned his attention towards Wonwoo and the barrier that Mingyu had built up to hide the dark side of his father came crashing down.

As it turned out, Mingyu’s father had been eyeing a prime plot of land in Greenwich Village for years now, hoping to turn it into something akin to the Chelsea Market for foreign investors. Unfortunately, the buildings that stand on the plot are owned by Jeon Jihyo, Wonwoo’s mother and owner of WBS, and used as housing options for the broadcast station’s employees. Kim Minsoo had tried, and failed, to negotiate for the plot three different times and had been facing increasing pressure from his foreign contacts.

Enter Wonwoo. A golden opportunity that had landed on his doorstep thanks to his own son.

Mingyu had recounted to Jisoo that a few months after he had proposed to Wonwoo, his father had demanded he convince Wonwoo to persuade his mother to sell the plot. Mingyu had refused to, unwilling to jeopardize his relationship with Wonwoo and to get involved in his father’s business.

Minsoo’s fury had been great. Never had he been so blatantly defied and Mingyu had been punished with a beating from two of his father’s henchmen.

Lying in his bed with bruised ribs and a black eye days later, Minsoo had come and asked again if Mingyu would do as he was told.Mingyu had choked out a feeble rejection, fully expecting another beating to commence. Though none came, his father assured him that, unless Mingyu fulfilled what was being asked of him, Wonwoo was in serious danger. Minsoo left him with a slap to his face and reminder to keep his silence or die.

Desperate to protect Wonwoo, Mingyu had tried to find a solution. He tried to talk to Jeonghan but could not force himself to do it. He wanted to tell Wonwoo the truth but was too paralyzed by the thought of putting him in even more danger.Exhausted, anxious, and unable to come up with a solution on his own, he came to find Jisoo.

After Mingyu’s revelations, Jisoo had given him some hot tea and let him get some much needed sleep on the couch in his office. When Mingyu had awoken two hours later, Jisoo had already finished formulating a plan.

Jisoo knew that for so long as Minsoo believed Wonwoo to be of value to Mingyu, he would always be in danger. Without that personal connection, the chances of Minsoo or his men having access to Wonwoo were greatly reduced. To protect Wonwoo, Mingyu would have to break up with him. However, because they were engaged, it would be too difficult to explain why, and too dangerous to alert Wonwoo of the situation too early on, so it was imperative that they avoid a direct confrontation.

So, Jisoo had hired a waitress to play Mingyu’s “secret girlfriend” for $10,000 and a paid, one-way ticket to Los Angeles.

They would have to be caught and cause enough public ruckus that Wonwoo wouldn’t even try to talk to Mingyu after and news would spread quickly that they were no longer together. That would ensure that Mingyu could slip away and get out of his father’s reach as soon as possible. They arranged for the plan to unfold at the Gold Ball (Jisoo prays his mother forgives him if she ever finds out) and Jisoo organized for Mingyu to fly out to Cairo immediately after on his jet.

Kim Minsoo is not an idiot, though, and Jisoo knew he would be suspicious about Mingyu suddenly treating his fiancé like dirt. To further play the situation up, and through the help of a friend in publishing, Jisoo had paid to have stories planted in magazines (including a staged interview with the girlfriend aka waitress who now lives in California under a new name and with a new nose) that detailed Mingyu’s “cheating scandal” and how he’d been secretly seeing this woman on the side for the last two years.

The public reaction to the events at the Gold Ball and the magazine articles made Mingyu an immediate social pariah. After all, Wonwoo was the public’s darling and they were the _It Couple_. Everyone turned on him and no one had any doubt that he was just a horny, dumb rich kid that probably never loved Wonwoo in the first place and was only using him for attention.

Jisoo had also convinced Mingyu to leave a letter for his father that simply stated that he could do what he wanted with Wonwoo and that he no longer cared. It was a dangerous move, and Mingyu had flat our refused to do it at first, but high reward requires high risk. Jisoo assured Mingyu that it was the only way to get his father to back away from Wonwoo (even temporarily) and promised that he would keep an eye on him.

Mingyu eventually relented and it paid off. Kim Minsoo was too cautious about touching Wonwoo without the security blanket of having Mingyu around to use as a scapegoat if things went wrong and he got caught in Jeon Jihyo’s wrath so he backed off.

So Jisoo’s plan had worked and Mingyu had left. He lived in Cairo for a month then moved to Cebu for three, before finally settling in with his mother in Amsterdam after nine months in hiding. Mingyu’s father did eventually track him down there and disowned him after Mingyu refused to come back to New York.

Kim Minsoo told him what an incredible disappointment he was for failing to do his part for the family business. Minsoo said he was done with Mingyu.

But Mingyu and Jisoo were not done with him.

Determined to put a stop to Minsoo’s illicit business practices and to bring justice to his victims, Jisoo has been building a case against him for nearly four years. He’s tracked down former land and property owners that had been coerced to sell to Kim Properties, former competitors illegally intimidated out of the market, and former employees unfairly compensated and maltreated. It took some time to convince them to talk and let him represent them, but Jisoo was relentless and patient. Years later, Jisoo is representing a dozen people in suit he’s about to file against Kim Minsoo.

Mingyu had also agreed to go on the record about business dealings he had witnessed and information his father had shared with him over the years. Jisoo had flown out to Amsterdam about a month ago to get Mingyu’s statements from him and include it in his file.

Now, after years of planning and preparation, all that’s left is to serve the suit.

“Are you nervous?" Jisoo asks, observing the man sitting across from him curiously.

It is hours after Mingyu had let him into the apartment. The full case file is open in front of Mingyu on the dining table, plates of half-finished, home cooked food around it.

Mingyu turns a page of the file and nods while running his fingers down the statement of a former janitor that had been beaten after he had stumbled upon a meeting between Minsoo and a local mafia ring leader in the office after hours. The man ended up in a hospital for three months with massive internal bleeding and was threatened with death if he ever approached the authorities.

“Do you still want to be part of it? I could take your statements out, if you’d like”

Mingyu closes the file and looks up at Jisoo “No. For years I knew what was happening and let it happen because I enjoyed the luxuries that if afforded me. I want to do what’s right, even if it is a little late”

Jisoo feels pride swell in his chest. The case weighs more heavily in his clients’ favour because of Mingyu’s statements and the fact that he was willing to give them, and came back to present himself in court, speaks volumes about the incredible emotional and mental growth he’s undergone over the years.

“It’s never too late, Mingyu” Jisoo says assuringly “You’re doing a good thing for a lot of people that need it”

“I forced myself to be blind for so long, Jisoo. This isn’t enough” Mingyu sighs

“Yes, but now your eyes are open” Jisoo counters “And this is a good start. Not to mention, you’ve sacrificed a lot just for us to get to this point”

Mingyu lets outs a bark-like laugh “Yeah, I don’t think your mom is ever going to invite me to another Gold Ball”

Jisoo shakes his head “I wouldn’t be so sure. After all this is over, I intend to keep my promise to you. I’m going to help you make amends… to everyone”

Jisoo looks at him pointedly. The smile drops from Mngyu’s face and he looks away to stare at the refrigerator

“He’ll never forgive me, Jisoo”

“You underestimate both Wonwoo’s ability to understand and his capacity to love” Jisoo replies, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back into his chair

“It doesn’t matter” Mingyu snaps, looking back at Jisoo, irritation flashing across his features “Isn’t he with someone else now?”

“If it doesn’t matter, why are you getting so worked up?” Jisoo asks, smirking and tilting his head

“Are you and Jeonghan finally together or are you still pretending you aren’t hopelessly in love with him?” Mingyu fires back immediately

“I am not in love with him!”

“Oh yes, I forgot, he sucks your dick only platonically!”

Jisoo’s mouth drops open and a few seconds of silence follows Mingyu’s jab before they both dissolve into laughter. Mingyu apologizes in-between giggles but Jisoo just waves him off as he continues to laugh because, for the first time in four years, it feels easy between them again.

For a few brief minutes they forgot the gravity and danger of their situation and were just Mingyu and Jisoo trying to rile each other up.

Just Mngyu and Jisoo poking fun at each other’s love life as they often did when they were younger.

Just Mingyu and Jisoo. 

Just friends.


	7. GG Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> GG Update

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos! Have a GG update before the next chapter!

_Hello readers!_

_Gossip Girl here, coming to you from my balcony and ready to provide you with an early morning update on our favourite Upper East clique._

_Much like the rest of us, Manhattan’s elite regard Friday nights as sacred. The start of a temporary reprieve from the pressures of adult life is universally celebrated and, not matter the social class, we all let loose every time it comes around._

_Albeit, we do this in different ways._

_Some of us enjoy a cozy night in. Much like JS and JH did at the latter’s townhouse last night. JS arrived at around 8:30 p.m., looking tired but incredibly handsome in a navy Gucci suit, with takeout from their favourite Thai place downtown._

_He spent the night and left at 5 a.m. this morning still wearing the same suit._

_Just “best friends" doing "best friend" things I see._

_On the other end of the spectrum, others like Friday nights to be a little crazier and end up like WW. Manhattan's Darling was seen stumbling out of his limousine, drunk out of his mind, and sway-walking his way to his beau’s apartment building._

_As of posting, WW still hasn’t been seen leaving._

_My, my. It’s so rare for WW to act so messy publicly. I wonder if this has anything to do with a certain someone making a comeback?._

_I can only hope._

_Though it would be easier to speculate if that certain someone were to pop up around town once in a while._

_Where exactly are you hiding MG? We’ve seen your new boytoy around, and though he is a pretty thing, we will always be more interested in our lost prince._

_SPOTTED: SY joining SC for a sparring session at the latter’s gym. Working on new moves, are we? For what purpose? I guess we'll have to wait and see._

_I hope you're ready, New York._

_A storm is here._

_XOXO Gossip Girl_


	8. Personal Growth & Professional Woes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonwoo deals with the fallout of a wild night and Chan senses Stranger Danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kudos!

_The ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria is decorated immaculately: diamond chandeliers hang from the high ceiling, the walls are decked out in gold drapes and vines of imported Wisteria flowers, and the two hundred circular tables inside the ballroom are dressed in black Egyptian linen with threads of gold running through the fabric._

_Wonwoo, in an emerald Versace suit with gold accents on it, is sat at one of these tables, ignoring the untouched plate of Risotto in front of him and squirming in his seat._

_All around him, the Gold Ball is in full swing but Wonwoo can’t focus on anything else except the feeling that he’s going to be sick._

_“What’s wrong? Not hungry?” Soonyoung asks from across the table, his own plate already empty and picking off from Jihoon’s “Or saving your appetite for the entree?”_

_“Jisoo told me it’s Filet” Seokmin offers from Soonyoung’s other side_

_"No, I just want to wait for Mingyu to get back before I start” Wonwoo answers, glancing at the empty seat next to him “I don’t want to eat without him”_

_“He has been in the bathroom for a long time” Soonyoung comments, glancing around the packed ballroom as if hoping to see Mingyu walking towards them “Maybe he has an upset stomach?’_

_“I have to go to the bathroom” Jihoon says, pushing the rest of his risotto towards Soonyoung (who whoops in delight) as he gets up from the table “I’ll check on him, if you like”_

_“’Please” Wonwoo says, nodding. He glances at the empty seat next to him again and checks his wrist watch._

_Its been more than 15 minutes._

_A hand closes around his wrist and Wonwoo looks up to find Jeonghan staring at him_

_“You okay?” he asks, voice soft but eyes bearing into Wonwoo’s as if, if he stares hard enough, he’ll get an answer without Wonwoo having to say anything “You don’t look well”_

_“You sleep alright last night, Won?” Seungcheol asks from next to Jeonghan, clearly eavesdropping on the conversation, eyes focused on the piece of bread he is currently buttering_

_Wonwoo wants to be honest and say no. No, he hasn’t been sleeping well. Not for a month since Mingyu inexplicably started having night terrors, violently tossing in bed and waking up screaming incoherently. Wonwoo hasn’t been well rested in a while because Mingyu hasn’t been and won’t tell him why. Wonwoo’s not dense, he knows something is bothering his boyfriend but the other insists that he’s fine and just stressed from work._

_Wonwoo’s guts twist at this moment and he grimaces, lowering his head and taking a deep breath. Jeonghan’s hand tightens on his wrist_

_“Wonwoo, what’s wrong?”_

_Across the table, Soonyoung stops polishing off Jihoon’s Risotto and looks up at Wonwoo in concern and even Seokmin looks up from his phone. A few feet behind him, Wonwoo sees Jihoon navigating his way back to their table through the crowd with a distressed look on his face_

_“Wonwoo, hey man, you don’t look okay” Seungcheol says, peering at Wonwoo from over Jeonghan’s shoulder. Wonwoo doesn’t even look at him because Mingyu has appeared at a few feet behind Jihoon, the top three buttons of his dress shirt open_

_“Wonwoo” Jeonghan says again, lightly tugging on his wrist and trying to get his attention but all Wonwoo can focus on is Jihoon turning around a couple of feet away from their table and saying something he can’t make out to Mingyu “Wonwoo”_

_Seungcheol has noticed Jihoon and Mingyu now too and he’s rising from the table and walking over to them. He’s been there no longer than 10 seconds but that is apparently enough time for Jihoon to say something to him and for Seunghcheol to decide that it is completely warranted that he hit Mingyu square in the jaw because of it._

_Mingyu hits Seungcheol back and the chaos that follows is immediate. Jihoon attempts to get between them and promptly gets knocked to the ground. Soonyoung pushes his chair away from the table so fast he knocks it back a few feet as he scrambles to get to Jihoon. Seokmin is in a state of shock, watching the scene unfold with his mouth and eyes wide open. Junhui and Jisoo are fighting their way through the crowd from their table to reach the blur of bodies that is Mingyu, Seungcheol, and Soonyoung._

_Wonwoo attempts to get up but his gut twists painfully again and he doubles over in his seat_

_“Wonwoo!” he hears Jeonghan say in alarm “Wonwoo, are you okay? Wonwoo!”_

_"WONWOO!"_

Wonwoo jerks awake, disoriented and breathing heavily. It takes him a few seconds of rapid blinking to ground himself and realize that he is not in the ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria and is, in fact, laying on a bed in a dark room. He’s alone in bed but there’s a yellow sticky note on the pillow next to his head.

In Eunwoo’s neat handwriting it says:

_“Won! Had an early shoot in the Hamptons, sorry I couldn’t wait :( See you tomorrow? Text me! - E”_

Slowly the night starts coming back to Wonwoo. The wrap party for a reality show at the station that he had too much to drink at. His refusal to go home and be alone when he had spent the better part of the last two days obsessing over why Mingyu had come back after all this time. Him demanding his driver take him to Eunwoo’s. The sex. All the sex he begged Eunwoo for because sex always made him forget. How he passed out after the third round while wishing Eunwoo was a little taller, more muscular, and his skin a little darker.

Wonwoo curses out loud, sits up in bed, and shakes his head.

“Get it together, Jeon” he mutters, willing himself to clear his head “You’ve worked too hard to fall back so quickly”

Wonwoo throws off the covers and walks to where his clothes are sitting in a heap on the floor. He digs through them, finds his phone, and speed dials “Number 3”.

Wen Junhui picks up on the second ring “Morning, slut”

“Junhui come pick me up”

“I’m three blocks away from Eunwoo’s. Get your ass down to the lobby”

“Did he call you?” Wonwoo asks, struggling to pull on his clothes while still holding his phone to his ear with one hand. On the other end of the line Junhui scoffs

“Bitch, who do you think you’re talking to?” his friend asks, sounding offended “I’m Wen Junhui. I know where all of you are,all the time… and also Gossip Girl tweeted it”

Wonwoo sighs as he begins pulling on his shirt “Fucking tabloid”

“It’s called a _“drama account_ ”, grandpa. Are you heading down? I’m nearly there”

“Almost. I’m going to put the phone down so I can put on my shoes” Wonwoo answers as he shimmies into his top “Be down in 5”

“K. I’m in the Lambo”

Said Lamborghini (In a gaudy metallic orange color) is parked on the curb right outside Eunwoo’s building when Wonwoo comes out minutes later. He hightails towards it and clambers inside, cursing Gossip Girl in his head as he goes.

“I’m surprised you can move so fast” Junhui comments once Wonwoo’s inside and the car begins to pull away “Would have expected you to be moving more gingerly. Unless… did you top last night?”

“Seriously? Couldn’t even wait five minutes? Lyle can hear us” Wonwoo mutters embarrassed

Junhui laughs “Lyle’s been driving for me since I was in high school. Trust me, he’s heard worse. I once gave head right here on this seat while stuck in a traffic jam”

Wonwoo makes a face and glances down at the black leather seats “Well, that’s gross. Wish I had just gotten a cab home”

“Fuck you, my cars get deep cleaned twice a month”

Wonwoo lets out a laugh despite his inner turmoil and immediately feels a bit better. Junhui might not be the best at feelings or comforting in the classical sense but his friend was protective and good at keeping Wonwoo from getting caught in mental ruts. He sighs again and leans back against the allegedly deep cleaned seat and closes his eyes.

Junhui lets him sit and stew in silence. Another great thing about him that Wonwoo appreciates is that Junhui never pries, he lets Wonwoo talk when he’s ready to. Last night was out of character for him, getting wasted at a party for work and then getting caught heading to what was clearly a dick appointment. Wonwoo kind of wants the earth to swallow him whole. It’s not his reputation he’s worried about, he’s learned not to care too much about that, it’s the implications of what caused his actions last night that scare him.

It’s what he felt moments before he decided to toe the line of alcohol poisoning and prostate abuse that Wonwoo’s not ready to deal with.

Well, that and the consequences of his actions. Which will probably include losing his friends and may, or may not, include maiming (and possible death) at the hands of Kwon Soonyoung. 

Unfortunately for him, it appears he’s going to have to deal with both sooner than he’d like as minutes later, the car pulls up on the curb in front of Soonyoung’ and Jihoon’s building.

“You didn’t bring me home” Wonwoo mutters, half hurt and half freaking out at the thought of what his friends will say about his behaviour last night “Junhui, I’m not-“

“Thanks, Lyle. You’re off for the day” Junhui says, completely cutting him off. He pats his driver on the shoulder affectionately before shoving lightly at Wonwoo to get him to move “Go on, then. Get out”

Despite his objections, Wonwoo is bested by his much stronger friend. Junhui half ushers, half manhandles him out of the car, onto the street, into the building, and into an elevator cab while whispering for him to "calm down" and "trust him". Wonwoo wants to but he feels overwhelmed by everything and overpowered by a need to run away. 

When the elevator stops and finally opens on the 41st floor, Junhui puts a hand on his shoulder and marches him towards the single door in the hallway. Junhui types the code into the security box next to it and Wonwoo prepares for death as it swings open.

“Get in here, Wen!” Soonyoung’s voice comes from the kitchen as soon as they enter the foyer, sounding frustrated but not angry like Wonwoo had originally anticipated “I can’t get this fried rice to taste right”

“Fried rice?” Wonwoo mutters. He can’t believe they were going to feed him before they verbally annihilated and physically killed him. Even for his friends, this was a new form of cruelty.

“I told you not to start it and wait for me!” Junhui yells back, shrugging off his leather jacket and throwing it haphazardly onto the ottoman next to the door. Turning to Wonwoo he says “Go get in the shower, I had Dorinda lay out a spare change of clothes for you on my bed”

Wonwoo, who had been fully expecting Soonyoung to come barreling down towards him in a rage when he stepped into the apartment, feels thoroughly confused “Are… are we not going straight to-? Aren't you all-?”

Junhui raises an eyebrow at his inability to properly construct a sentence before he shakes his head and squeezes Wonwoo's shoulders with his hands in a comforting way “Listen man, you had a rough night. We’ve all had rough nights. We’re here to eat and watch movies and maybe talk about what caused you to go batshit, but only if you want to. If you don’t, that’s fine, we’ll just stick to the movies and eating, okay?”

_It’s not an ambush._

Relief washes over Wonwoo instantly, the tightness in his chest loosens and his shoulders slump

“Oh”

They weren’t mad, not even Soonyoung, and they weren’t going to force him to explain himself if he wasn’t ready or didn’t want to. They were going to feed him and watch movies with him.

“Sometimes I forget we’ve all grown up a lot” he says softly, after a few minutes of silence (not counting Soonyoung’s loud cursing coming from the kitchen) and deep breathing. 

“That’s right” Junhui nods, giving Wonwoo a pat on the back “I’m your safe space, babe!”

“You called me a slut less than an hour ago”

“The safe space is also an honest one” his friend winks before he begins walking down the hall towards Soonyoung’s shouting “Get in the shower!”

Wonwoo smiles and watches Junhui disappear into the kitchen before heading towards the other end of the apartment where the bedrooms are.

He enters the kitchen half an hour later, in a pair of Junhui’s sweatpants and one of his shirts, to find all three of his friends already sat at the table. Junhui had apparently been successful in saving the fried rice because a huge bowl of it sits in the middle surrounded by plates of bacon and pancakes.

“Hey, come on” Soonyoung says when he appears, reaching out to pile food onto the only empty plate left on the table “Let’s eat”

Junhui pulls out his chair for him and Jihoon slides a mug of hot coffee towards him when he sits down. The moment Soonyoung sees he’s settled, he launches into a full account of all the embarrassing things that happened during his dance classes yesterday. Not ten minutes in and he has the whole table laughing. From there the conversation flows easily like it always does when it’s the four of them. Junhui tells them about the test shots he did for the upcoming Burberry campaign, Jihoon talks about the songs he’s working on for Bruno Mars, and even Wonwoo shares anecdotes from his week at the broadcast station. 

They talk and eat and drink coffee for about two hours and by the time all the food is gone, Wonwoo feels incredibly well fed and secure that he cuts Junhui off in the middle of his story about how he slept with the mayor’s son and blurts out what has been weighing on his mind for the last two days before he has a chance to overthink

“I don’t know why he’s come back. I don’t know why he’s come back and it’s freaking me out”

Junhui stops reenacting how loud the mayor son moans, Soonyoung (who until this point had been laughing uproariously at Junhui’s story) immediately stops smiling and Jihoon’s gaze lowers onto his empty coffee mug.

Wonwoo swallows, feeling a bit nervous now but willing himself to continue anyway because Junhui was right, this _is_ his safe space “I just… I know he used to live here, and he has every right to be here just as much as I do, but-“

“-It was easier to pretend like he didn’t exist when he was gone” Jihoon finishes for him, still staring resolutely at his mug

“Yeah” Wonwoo nods, slumping in his chair “I just don’t want to see him. I don’t want to run into him. God, what is he even doing back?”

“Is that why you got lashed at that party last night?” Junhui asks, long fingers tracing the stitching on the tablecloth absentmindedly "Brain too loud?"

“Yeah” Wonwoo nods again “I just, I’ve been thinking so much. Wondering why he came back and trying to plan the best ways for me to avoid running into him anywhere in public. I just wanted my brain to turn off for the night”

“Did you succeed?” Junhui inquires

“Sort of” he admits. He doesn’t go into detail about the invasive mature thoughts he had just before passing out at Eunwoo’s though. He was just horny and they don't have to know. He clears his throat and continues “So yeah, I kinda went overboard and now everyone that follows Gossip Girl knows”

Jihoon makes a sound like an angry cat “I hate that gossip rag”

Junhui makes an exasperated noise from across Jihoon and throws his hands in the air “For the hundredth time, it’s called a _Drama Account!_ I cannot keep explaining this to all of you, okay? Get with it!”

“I will not” Jihoon says stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest and frowning at Junhui “I still can’t believe you follow that thing”

“I like to keep informed”

“Your family literally owns a security company” Jihoon argues “You know where all of us are all the time! You have more information on your friends than the law allows”

Junhui opens his mouth to retort but Wonwoo cuts across him once again to address Soonyoung, who has been avoiding his eyes and has kept silent this entire time “Soonyoung, are you mad?”

It’s an answer he’s dreading if Wonwoo’s honest. Soonyoung is his best friend and, while they are both adults with their own lives, Soonyoung’s opinion matters to him. He’s also eternally grateful for how Soonyoung helped him get back on his feet after Mingyu cheated on and left him and he’s petrified by the thought of disappointing, and subsequently losing, him.

Soonyoung looks away from the microwave and finally meets his eyes “No, I’m not”

“I expected you to be” Wonwoo says honestly “I thought you’d be angry I let him get to me”

“Did he though?” Soonyoung asks thoughtfully “Did he get to you or were you just in a state of shock because he finally resurfaced after all these years?”

Between them, Jihoon and Junhui are watching them in total silence, their eyes darting from one to the other.

Wonwoo considers this.

Did he do something horrible? Or has he just conditioned himself to be hyperaware of how he acts in public in the wake of his Gold Ball humiliation? Are these just his natural defences towards anything Kim Mingyu related acting up? Or did he actually do something irreversible?

He hasn't really had time to think about it, but it is possible he’s being too hard on himself? Jeonghan did always point out that Wonwoo is a champ at that. 

“I mean... yeah, maybe”

“Cause this is how I see it” Soonyoung says, scooting forward in his chair and with a look on his face that Wonwoo only ever sees when he’s working with his students “You loved this dude with your entire heart and soul. He broke both and disappeared. You got no explanations, no apologies, and no closure”

Soonyoung takes a breath and Wonwoo holds his in while waiting for him to continue

“You got over all of that, you got better, and you moved on. Now he’s back and for what? None of us know! Of course it would freak you out. I’d be freaked the fuck out too. I’m not mad at you. You had a normal reaction to an unpleasant situation and tried to get it out of your system through alcohol and sex. We’ve all tried worse coping mechanisms”

Soonyoung finishes and Wonwoo lets out the air he was holding in his lungs through a shaky breath

“Okay. Thanks… I just.. You’re my bes-“ he begins but Soonyoung cuts him off by raising a hand and smiling at him

“I know, Wonton. I know”

Wonwoo nods and shoots him a small smile, feeling fond and incredibly grateful. It’s quiet for a while until Junhui finally breaks and loudly remarks “Kwon Soonyoung is this personal growth? You know I’ve had my people keeping an extra close watch on you just in case you decided to go out and find Mingyu?”

“Why the hell would I go find him?” Soonyoung asks, turning to frown at Junhui

“To kill him” Jihoon answers from his other side “As revenge”

“I am not a vengeful person!” Soonyoung exclaims, looking thoroughly shocked at the allegation and Wonwoo stifles a laugh behind his hand because Soonyoung most definitely is a vengeful person and has gotten revenge on every single person that has ever crossed him since Danny Greene stole his pencil case in the fourth grade.

“Yes you are. Especially for Wonwoo” Junhui points out

“Well I’m sorry to disappoint you but I’ve gotten over my rage towards Mingyu” Soonyoung says, shrugging and turning his nose up at Junhui “I have no desire to hurt him for what he did in the past”

“Then why are you training with Seungcheol?” Jihoon asks, pointing accusatorially at his boyfriend

“Just in case he tries to mess with Wonwoo in the present” Soonyoung answers in a matter-of-fact kind of way “I may be over my past rage for him but that doesn’t mean I’ll let him get away with shit now”

Junhui whistles and slaps the table with his open fist “This is personal growth! Wow, Soonyoung and I thought you peaked in high school!”

“I don’t like it” Jihoon mutters, eyes narrowing at Soonyoung and still pointing at him “I like you petty and vengeful”

“I literally don’t know which statement to be more offended by” Soonyoung says and Wonwoo can’t help it, he laughs out loud. Junhui joins in as Soonyoung and Jihoon begin to argue about the benefits of pettiness in everyday life. While watching them Wonwoo decides that Soonyoung is right. He had a normal reaction to a shocking event.

That’s all it was.

That’s all he’s going to allow it to be.

-

“Bye, Mr. Chan!”

Chan waves as Daisy, the last remaining student of the day, is ushered out the academy’s front doors by her mother. Once the doors swing shut behind them, he lets out a loud sigh and allows himself to slump over the front desk. He knocks over the cup containing their secretary Samuel’s pens but Chan just groans as they roll all over the desk.

It has been a long day for him. Soonyoung, his boss, hadn’t come in today and Chan had to teach all the Saturday classes by himself.

The Kwon Dance Academy has 150 students on its roster, with ages ranging from five years old to 27 years old, that are divided into different classes with different schedules. Chan himself had taken classes here for jazz to supplement his dance program in college and he had been so enamoured by Kwon Soonyoung, choreographer extraordinaire and dance prodigy, that he applied for a job at the academy as soon as he got his diploma. Despite his professional inexperience and the fact that he wasn’t looking to actually hire another teacher, Soonyoung took him on and made him assistant instructor.

Chan teaches dance five days a week (Tuesday to Saturday), four classes on his own and two as an assistant to Soonyoung in the advanced classes. It’s difficult and punishing on the body when he isn’t careful enough but Chan loves to dance, loves the kids and loves having a steady job so he does it happily.

All his love for the art and his students don't erase how insanely crappy he feels right now though. Four classes back to back on his own has completely wrecked him and he wonders how Soonyoung did all of this by himself before he came along. 

Chan lays slumped on Samuel’s desk for a few more minutes, eyes closed and head resting against the cool wood, until he decides he’d much rather pass out in his apartment. Chan replaces all the pens he had scattered back into Samuel’s cup and begins closing up the school. Samuel normally does this but he had to leave early today to pick his mom up at the airport so Chan, already exhausted from all the classes, has been left with the tedious task of shutting off lights, air conditioners, checking for items that might have been left behind, and locking up the front doors. The academy takes up the entire second floor of the VBN commercial building in Midtown West and has two separate studios, two shower/restrooms, a lounge area for the kids, and Soonyoung’s office. It takes Chan nearly half an hour to make a full sweep of the entire area and he’s standing outside in the hallway, just about finished locking the front doors when a feeling of unease begins to settle in his chest.

The elevator behind him dings and Chan turns around, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his coat quickly, and finds two men, both hulking and in all black, stepping out from the elevator cab. Chan sidesteps them and enters the cab before the door can close behind the men. He swiftly hits the button for the Ground floor, hears the man on the left say “It’s closed”, and sees them turn around to look at him before the elevator doors shut and the cab moves downwards.

The feeling of unease in his chest increases and he feels his hands start to get clammy. His survival instincts kicking in, Chan decides he’s going to run. He doesn’t know who those men are, has never seen them before in his life, but something about them feels off and Chan doesn’t really fancy sticking around to find out why.

When the elevators stops on the first floor, Chan barely waits for the doors to fully open before he’s running out of it. Halfway out the lobby, he hears the door leading to the stairwell open and someone yelling at him to stop. Chan knows it’s them without even turning around and only runs faster out of the building and into the rainy Manhattan night.

-


	9. Payback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungcheol can't sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I am so sorry for the delay but I am back and will be posting more often now. If you're still sticking with this, thank you!

Seungcheol is exhausted.

His muscles are worn out and screaming for relief, the white shirt he has on clings to his sweat-soaked skin uncomfortably, and his legs feel as heavy as lead.

Still, it’s not enough.

He continues going at the punching bag hanging in front of him, the rhythmic sound of his boxing gloves hitting the leather material egging him on. Behind him, he hears Lou, the old owner of the gym and Seungcheol’s coach huff in annoyance, “Look, kid, it’s 10:30 pm. If you ain’t finishing soon, I’m leaving the keys here and going home. You lock up”

Seungcheol jerks his head shortly but doesn’t turn around, eyes locked on the punching bag in front of him. He hears Lou fish a ring of keys out of his pocket, drop it on the bench a few feet away, and begin to walk away.

Seungcheol continues to punch. The gym is completely empty except for him now and he’s been here since 4 in the afternoon. He knows it’s not healthy to over-exert himself so much but he hasn’t been able to sleep well for the last few days and he’s hoping pushing himself physically will fix that.

God knows he can’t fix what’s actually causing his insomnia.

_Kim Mingyu_

His face flashes in Seunghcheol’s mind briefly and his next punch misses the bag by an inch. It causes him to stumble forward a bit and Seungcheol grunts in frustration at how easily the thought of one person can set his whole body on fire with rage. Annoyed and now having lost his rhythm, Seungcheol walks over to the bench and sits down. He takes his gloves off, leans back against the cold linoleum walls, and shuts his eyes.

He laments, once again and as he’s frequently done over the past few years, that he ever trusted Kim Mingyu. He should have never let his guard down, not after all the grief his father has caused Seungcheol’s family.

Seungcheol’s grandfather came to America with nothing. Hoping for a better life, he had left Daegu with only a couple of Won, the clothes on his back, and his wife by his side. He did the worst jobs - the dirtiest, the weirdest, the ones that paid the least - all to survive. He clawed and scratched to keep hold of what little he had, kept his head down and grinded. His life was difficult but he endured it for himself and his wife.

Eventually, his grandfather earned enough to set up his own carpentry shop. Seungcheol’s grandfather’s English was limited but his work did all the talking for him and the shop gained a pool of loyal customers who commissioned him for custom furniture work and repairs. Life got better. His grandparents moved to a better neighborhood in Queens. Seungcheol’s father and uncle were able to go to school. While his father became the first person in his family to earn a degree and would go on to become a doctor, his uncle, Jaesuk, took over his grandfather’s carpentry shop.

Uncle Jaesuk expanded the business rapidly: he modernized their marketing, increased distribution channels, and charmed new clients into joining the shop’s rolodex of loyal customers. Choi Woodworking was rising fast as the go-to place for high-end and quality home furnishings. More money was coming in than ever before and Uncle Jaesuk’s reputation as a businessman was growing.

Until Kim Minsoo happened.

Seungcheol was 8 and Uncle Jaesuk had taken him to the shop that day. Seungcheol had developed an interest in building things young and his uncle liked to take him into the shop on Sundays when it was closed so that Seungcheol could experiment on wood with his supervision. On one such day, Seungcheol had been painting a small jewelry box his uncle had helped him make, a gift for his mom, when Uncle Jaesuk had entered the backroom in a panic. Hastily, his uncle had helped him inside one of the supply closets, made him promise not to open it for anyone he didn’t know, and instructed him to keep very quiet.

Perplexed and frightened, Sungcheol had sat in the supply closet and listened to what must have been half a dozen voices talking to his uncle at the front of the shop. Eventually the voices turned angry and things got violent. Seungcheol sat, frozen in a dark closet, listening to shouting and the shop being torn apart. He doesn’t remember how long he sat in that closet, only that his mother had found him later and that she cried when she did.

The shop was a mess. Broken glass and furniture everywhere.

His uncle had disappeared.

They would get no news about him until a month later when Kim Minsoo himself would pay his father’s clinic a visit after hours. He wanted to build a high-rise on the block the shop stood on, he said, and all the small businesses had agreed to sell him their lots - except Jaesuk. Kim Minsoo needed Jaesuk to sell he told Seungcheol’s father but Jaesuk was stubborn and refused, was till refusing after a month of beatings and inhumane treatment. He was tired of waiting he said and now placed the decision to Seungcheol’s father. If he wanted his brother back, and alive, Kim Minsoo suggested he sell.

The shop Seungcheol’s grandfather had worked half his life for was bulldozed the next day, along with a dozen other small businesses. Uncle Jaesuk was dropped off a street away from their house in Queens, bruised, bloody, and underweight. He would never forgive his brother for selling the lot and would leave for Korea half a year later after recovering from his injuries.

His father and uncle haven’t spoken in years and Seungcheol has harbored a hatred for Kim Minsoo ever since.

When he was first introduced to Mingyu, by way of his other friends, Seungcheol had wanted nothing to do with him. He did not speak directly to him, avoided him in public, and only agreed to hang out with him if other people were around.

When Seungkwan, who is far too observant for Seungcheol’s liking, had asked him what his problem was with Mingyu, Seungcheol had lied and said he felt Mingyu was too loud and boastful. Seungkwan didn’t buy it, he could tell Seungcheol was lying, and after weeks of repeated asking, he finally admitted his family’s history with Mingyu’s father. Seungkwan had been horrified, but adamant, that Mingyu was not Minsoo. The person they had befriended was kind, kind of clumsy, and smart. Nothing like the Kim Minsoo they had both heard so much about.

“Give him a chance, Cheollie” Seungkwan had begged “You might find that you like him”

So, against his better judgements, he did.

And he hates to admit it but he did end up liking Mingyu. They weren’t best friends but Seungcheol grew very fond of him and even cared for him. Mingyu was funny, in a goofball sort of way, but was also very charming, capable, and empathic.

Seungcheol thought Seungkwan had proven him wrong and was ready to come out and admit it.

Then the Gold Ball happened and Seungcheol had realized what a fool he had been to ever go against his instincts.

Seungcheol opens his eyes, stares at the blank wall across him, and thinks of all the ways he could make Mingyu and his father pay for all the shit they’ve done to his family and friends.

No way seems harsh enough he concludes after 15 minutes of brutal scenario imaging but Seungcheol feels resolved, as he gets up and gets ready to head home, that he’ll eventually find one.


End file.
